Russia gives all its gold medalists $120,000, a new Mercedes

Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and figure skating gold medal winner Yulia Lipnitskaya (R) attend a ceremony to present automobiles to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics prize-holders representing Russia, by the Kremlin wall in central Moscow, February 27, 2014. REUTERS/Artem Zhitenev/RIA Novosti/Pool (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS SPORT OLYMPICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

A total of 45 cars were distributed to gold medalists. Russia won a Sochi-leading total of 33 medals, including 13 golds. The cars were provided by the Russian Olympians Foundation, a consortium established by Russian businessmen in 2005. Russian athletes who won medals in the 2012 London Games received new Audis with personal drivers.

For comparison's sake, the United States Olympic Committee pays its winners $25,000 for a gold medal, $15,000 for a silver and $10,000 for a bronze medal. Kazakhstan leads the medal payment rate at $250,000 for a gold, but has not had a gold medalist at the Winter Olympics in 20 years.

Of course, not all athletes benefit quite so handsomely. Dario Cologna of Switzerland won two golds in cross-country skiing. His reward from his hometown? A pig, which he named "Sochi."